The farmers helping Botswana boost its food production

Willy Kathurima and his wife Doreen are among a handful of farmers taking advantage of Botswana’s push to expand food production by increasing local expertise in horticulture. Tshiamo Tabane reports on how the couple launched their business, Ramaphatle Greens, which produces strawberries, garlic and ginger.

Less than an hour’s drive west of Botswana’s capital, Gaborone, is the small farming community of Ramaphatle, and it is here that Willy Kathurima and his wife Doreen have set up a thriving farming operation to produce strawberries, garlic and ginger. The motto of their business, Ramaphatle Greens, is ‘smart horticulture farming’, which underlines their ambition to produce high-quality crops both profitably and sustainably.

They started production in 2018 with tomatoes, green peppers and cucumbers destined for retailers in Gaborone. The Kathurimas very soon discovered, however, that the tomato and pepper markets were saturated, so they ventured into ginger, garlic and strawberries instead.

The shift to these commodities proved to be a remarkable stroke of luck: two years after the business opened, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, pushing demand for ginger and garlic to new heights as word spread that these crops had immune-boosting properties, and they became key ingredients in home concoctions and diets.

Training And Support

To understand how to produce these two crops, the couple enlisted the help of the Ginger, Garlic & Turmeric Farmers’ Group, which they joined to receive technical training and support.

They started their garlic production with caution, planting only 1ha; the crop thrived, however, and appeared easy to grow. The returns were also encouraging, and in 2021 they expanded production to 2,5ha. They discovered while doing so that garlic seed was one of the most expensive inputs.

“In 2022, we decided to invest in garlic seed, and were able to cultivate a substantial amount of garlic for seed and to supply the local market,” says Doreen.

Production of ginger began almost simultaneously on 0,25ha, and the entire crop was sold.

“We’re currently multiplying ginger seed for our own planting, and we’re also seeing high demand in the market,” she adds.

From March 2021, the Kathurimas added strawberries to their output after receiving encouragement from a neighbour who produced the crop.

Strawberries, like garlic, are known for their high nutrient levels, which made them another hot commodity during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our neighbours assisted us through the entire process of procurement, land preparation and farming until we were able to stand on our own feet,” recalls Doreen.

They have now built up a reliable base of retailers, and their strawberries “are well received, as they’re delivered after being freshly picked the same day”.

Asked whether they have any plans to expand the project, Doreen replies: “Yes, we’re already preparing for our next crops! We’ve increased our water capacity from two on-site boreholes, so we’ll be able to grow much more than before.”

Government Ban

The story of Ramaphatle Greens dovetails with the Botswanan government’s decision to boost the country’s horticultural production. Evidence of its commitment to this goal was revealed by the government’s recent decision to ban imports of vegetables, including from South Africa.

Ramaphatle Greens, which supplies almost all the fresh produce retailers in Gaborone with garlic, ginger and strawberries, employs six staff. This number is boosted by seasonal workers from the neighbouring villages, when labour for planting, weeding and harvesting is required.

“About 10 temporary workers come in almost daily during harvesting and packing,” says Doreen.

A Family Operation

She explains that having a family business has its pros and cons.

“We have a unity of purpose to [fulfil] the long-term vision of the business because of the experience of working as a family and understanding the common objectives.”

In addition, the project provides jobs for family members.

“The challenge is that favouring family members can discourage input from non-family members.”

Asked about the benefits of expanding horticulture in Botswana, Doreen says the initiative is helping to make the country self-reliant, and that the money “used in importing produce can be used for more critical needs”.

Statistics from the Botswana Ministry of Agriculture show that before the ban on vegetable imports and improved government support to farmers in horticulture, the country imported more than 50% of the vegetables consumed there, and the annual import bill for vegetables was around P201 million (about R270 million).

“The decision by the government will also increase employment opportunities in our communities and grow wealth.”

She says that with time, the local industry will have to find ways to offset higher production costs, as structures such as tunnels and greenhouses remain prohibitively expensive.

In addition, growing such sensitive crops in a hot environment is no easy task.

“Other challenges are the high cost of packaging materials, for example strawberry punnets and boxes, most of which are imported, and the cost of fertiliser, which is also largely imported.”

Maintaining Quality

Following the ban on vegetable imports in early 2022, some consumers complained of poorquality produce from local farms, as well as a shortage of supplies.

Willy says that in their own bid to meet the quantity and quality demanded by retailers and other customers, he and Doreen have enlisted the help of consultants. These experts come to their farm regularly to evaluate crops and production processes with the aim of improving quality and increasing yield.

To this end, the Kathurimas have also installed cold rooms and bought a refrigeration truck to ensure that the strawberries are delivered in good condition.

Doreen says she believes that the government is committed to growing local production, as the horticulture sector is seeing improved access to funding, markets and technical assistance.

“We’re thankful for the opportunity […] to grow our own businesses so that we can meet local demand with our own products and industries.

Asked why they chose to plant strawberries, garlic and ginger in the first place out of so many horticultural crops, Doreen says: “The return on our effort was a factor. Strawberries, garlic and ginger are generally considered high-value crops, and the returns from selling them are far more rewarding than those of other horticultural crops.”

Phone Ramaphatle Greens on +267 75 928 706. FW